Spreading spirit of “Humanity and Martial Virtue” of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts

On July 26, the Opening Ceremony of the 7th Ho Chi Minh City International Festival of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts and the 18th Expanded Ho Chi Minh City Festival of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts took place in Ho Chi Minh City.

132 delegations participated in this year’s Festival.

The event was organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Martial Arts Federation, with the attendance of representatives from the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, the World Federation of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts (WFVV), the Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts Federation, and athlete delegations from many provinces and cities across the country and from abroad.

This year’s Festival gathered 132 delegations with over 1,500 athletes, 132 team leaders, and nearly 200 coaches.

Notably, the presence of eight countries, including the United States, France, Italy, India, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, and Burkina Faso, demonstrates the increasingly wide-reaching influence of Vietnamese traditional martial arts on the international stage, contributing to elevating the value of this unique cultural heritage.

Eight countries took part in the Festival.

More than just a gathering of quintessential Vietnamese martial arts forms and techniques, the opening ceremony also offered a vibrant space for cultural exchange, showcasing the identity of martial arts philosophy and the cultural depth of the nation. It was also an opportunity for domestic and international delegations to share experiences, strengthen connections, and jointly preserve and promote the traditional values of Vietnamese martial arts.

Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Nam Nhan delivered the opening remarks.

Delivering the opening remarks, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Nam Nhan said that “In the spirit of ‘Humanity and Martial Virtue’, traditional Vietnamese martial arts have embodied the quintessence of martial techniques, forming a philosophy of life that aspires toward Truth – Goodness – Beauty.”

This year’s festival not only honours those values but also affirms the role of Ho Chi Minh City as a major centre in the development and dissemination of traditional martial arts, fostering national pride and inspiring the younger generation to cherish traditional culture.

The event is taking place from July 25 to 30.

NDO